An ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to also as an ink-jet printer) enables high speed recording with low noise and makes it easy to form a color image by employing plural ink nozzles. Recently, the ink-jet recording printer is rapidly spreading as an image formation output apparatus for a computer. Further, it has been applied to preparation of a color original or design image in which a high quality image corresponding to a photographic image is required. Specifically, in the field of graphic art and designing requiring high quality images, its utilization is being taken notice of.
As Ink for ink jet recording, a water based ink having, as main components, water and a water soluble organic solvent has been used in view of safety or recording properties, so that ink clogging of nozzles is minimized. As a recording sheet used for ink-jet recording system, conventionally, paper or a recording sheet referred to as an ink-jet recording paper wherein a porous ink-absorption layer is provided on a support has been used.
However, the above-mentioned recording papers result in much ink blurring and low glossiness, and could not be employed for the above-mentioned field wherein high quality image is required. The porous ink absorbing layer coated on a glossy resin-covered paper has a rough surface and causes light scattering, resulting in the problem that transparency and glossiness are lowered. The non-porous ink absorbing layer increases light transmittance, but there was the problem that ink after ink recording remains without being dried on the surface for a long time, and requires a long drying time.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, there is proposed a gelatin containing layer as an ink-absorption layer with high transparency and high ink-receptivity. For example, an ink receiving layer comprised of gelatin having a specific pH is proposed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 62-263084, a combination use of gelatin and a surfactant is proposed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 1-146784, and a recording sheet, which is obtained by coating a gelatin layer on a support to be in gel state and then drying it by a cold drying method, is proposed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 6-64306.
The ink receiving layer having gelatin provides excellent ink absorption, and high glossiness. However, it has been proved that it has disadvantage that the tone of the ink receiving layer surface varies after a long term storage, particularly under high humidity.